Latest Progress on Tuberculosis and HIV Co-Infection: A Closer Look at People of Different Ages

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) and Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection continues to be a very serious health concern globally. Even though TB is treatable, it remains among the leading cause of death especially among HIV-infected individuals. Although the emergence of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has positively impacted the treatment of HIV, it is a major risk factor for developing active TB disease. The treatment of HIV and TB coinfection is associated with many challenges, one of which is the requirement of treatment with multiple medications for an extended period which is faced by all infected individuals across every age group, however, some of the challenges are peculiar to a specific age range. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of HIV and TB co-infection among persons within different age brackets and the characteristics of both diseases, their current treatment guidelines, the challenges they pose, and their impact on global health are examined and reported herein.